// rent compliance · El Cerrito

Rent Ordinance Compliance in El Cerrito

State law only: 8.8% for Aug 1, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027 under AB 1482. No local cap; the 2019 just-cause ordinance was repealed by referendum. The cap, the registry, the fee and the notice for your unit, each on its own calendar.

8.8%State cap, Aug 2026 to Jul 2027
$50Rent Registry fee per unit, due Jul 31
$2,506Median rent, Oct 2026

How this works in El Cerrito

The state cap is 8.8% for Aug 1, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027. That number matters in Walnut Creek, Fremont and El Cerrito. It does not matter in Oakland (2.3%), Berkeley (1.0%), Alameda (2.7%), Richmond (1.5%), Hayward (5%), Concord (5%) or Antioch, where a local cap sits underneath it, and from Jan 1, 2027 it stops mattering for most pre-1995 multifamily in San Leandro too. Each of those cities also runs a registry, an annual fee and a filing rule, and most set relocation payments owed when a tenancy ends without fault. We keep one calendar per property and act on it.

Cap
State law only: 8.8% for Aug 1, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027 under AB 1482. No local cap; the 2019 just-cause ordinance was repealed by referendum. AB 1482 covers units older than 15 years; individually owned single-family homes and condos are exempt with the lease notice. The Rent Registry covers every rental unit regardless.
Just cause
State law only: AB 1482 just cause after 12 months for covered units. No local ordinance.
Fees and filings
FY 2026-27: business license $100 new or $36 renewal plus $4; business tax $138 per unit; Rent Registry $50 per unit, online only, due Jul 31; Residential Rental Inspection every two years at $247 single-family or $320 multifamily plus $87 each additional unit.

What is included

The full picture for owners is on the El Cerrito page; the service on its own is described under rent compliance.

// questions

Rent Compliance in El Cerrito: questions owners ask

How much can I raise rent in El Cerrito this year?

There is no city cap. A covered unit is limited to the state 8.8% for Aug 1, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027. An individually owned house or condo with the AB 1482 lease notice is uncapped, with 90 days notice required above 10%.

Do I have to register my single-family rental?

Yes. Every rental unit reports rent and tenancy to the Rent Registry each year at business-license renewal, $50 per unit, online only from Jul 1, 2026, due Jul 31. You also pay the $138 per-unit business tax and the $247 single-family inspection every two years.

My single-family home is exempt from rent control. Do I still have to register?

Often, yes. Oakland exempts single-family homes and condos from the cap but requires registration and follows just cause once the building is 10 or more years old. Berkeley requires registration and good cause for partially covered single-family tenancies at $244 per unit. Alameda, Richmond and Concord also register exempt units. Exempt from the cap is not exempt from the program.

How much can I raise the rent this year?

For Aug 1, 2026 to Jul 31, 2027 the state cap is 8.8%. Oakland is 2.3% on pre-1983 units, Berkeley 1.0% for calendar 2026, Alameda 2.7% from Sep 1, Richmond 1.5% from Sep 1, Hayward and Concord 5%, Antioch about 2% and recomputed with each CPI release. A unit exempt from both the state and local caps, such as an individually owned house with the exemption notice or a building under 15 years old, has no percentage limit, but an increase over 10% needs 90 days' notice.

What happens if I missed a registry deadline?

In Oakland an unregistered owner cannot raise rent, cannot file a petition, and non-registration is a defense to eviction. Berkeley doubles the fee. Richmond adds 10, 25 and 50% penalties and may lien the property. The fix is to register now, pay the penalty, and reset the calendar. We do that as part of onboarding.

What about San Leandro?

San Leandro adopted rent control on Feb 2, 2026, effective Jan 1, 2027: a cap of 3% or 65% of CPI, whichever is lower, on roughly 7,700 pre-1995 multifamily units, with base rent set at the rent in effect Jul 1, 2025. Increases taken since then may be rolled back. The new registry is about $149 per unit, and unregistered owners lose the right to raise rent or evict for the year. If you own there, the planning has to happen in 2026.

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